Police say a 15-year-old and two 16-year-olds were arrested after the Sunday shooting on Alpha Court.
GOLDSBORO, NC — A 13-year-old girl was shot and killed Sunday afternoon in a Goldsboro neighborhood, and police said Monday that three teenage boys have been charged with first-degree murder and felony conspiracy in her death. Officers found the wounded girl around 4:35 p.m. on the 200 block of Alpha Court, where she was pronounced dead.
Authorities have not released the suspects’ names because they are juveniles. The killing, days before Christmas, has shaken families along Alpha Court and nearby Patetown Road. Police said the teens — a 15-year-old and two 16-year-olds — were taken into custody without incident after investigators identified them as suspects. Detectives with the Goldsboro Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division are leading the case, which remains active. Officials have not said whether prosecutors will seek to try the teens as adults, and no motive has been publicly identified.
Officers were dispatched after multiple reports of shots fired at 4:35 p.m. Sunday. When they arrived, they found the girl suffering from a gunshot wound near a cluster of small apartment buildings and townhomes. Emergency medical personnel pronounced her dead at the scene within minutes, police said. The area was taped off for hours as investigators photographed evidence, interviewed witnesses and canvassed door to door. By early Monday, police said they had three juvenile suspects in custody and were preparing charges. “We moved quickly based on leads developed overnight,” investigators told reporters, adding that the arrests were made without incident at separate locations in the city.
Relatives identified the victim as Jaleeyah Tune. Her mother, Whitney Brown-Tune, said the family was preparing for the holiday when the call came that her daughter had been shot. Gifts are still under the tree at their home, she said. J’SHEEYAH Tune, the victim’s older sister, said she was with Jaleeyah shortly before the shooting. “I held her in her last moments,” she said, describing how she turned back after hearing gunfire and found her sister on the ground. Police have not said whether they believe the girl was targeted or struck amid a broader dispute. Investigators also have not disclosed how many shots were fired or what type of firearm was used.
Neighbors said the sound of gunfire sent people running for cover as evening approached. The block, a short drive from downtown Goldsboro, has a mix of rental units and single-family homes. Residents described a heavy police presence well into the night, with cruisers and crime-scene vans lining the street while technicians took measurements and marked shell casings. The Wayne County medical examiner’s office will determine the official cause and manner of death. As of Monday night, police had not announced the recovery of a weapon. Detectives asked anyone with information or home surveillance footage from late Sunday afternoon to contact investigators.
Goldsboro police said each of the three teenagers faces one count of first-degree murder and one count of felony conspiracy. Because they are juveniles, their initial proceedings are handled in the juvenile system, where records are generally not public. Prosecutors can petition to transfer cases to adult court in North Carolina for serious felonies; officials did not say whether a transfer request is planned. The teens were placed in secure custody while the investigation continues. Police said additional charges are possible if new evidence is developed, including any potential weapons offenses.
Family members spent Monday sharing photos and stories of Jaleeyah while making funeral plans. Brown-Tune said her daughter was “friendly, smart and bubbly,” and called her a “miracle baby” who was born premature near Christmas years ago. Friends trickled to the block through the day, some leaving flowers and a stuffed animal near the curb where police had worked the night before. A few neighbors quietly swept the sidewalk after the tape came down. “This hurts,” said one man who lives nearby and asked not to be named. “You don’t expect to see a child on the ground like that.”
Police did not provide details about what led up to the gunfire. It was not clear Monday whether the victim and the suspects knew one another, whether a dispute preceded the shooting, or whether social media played any role. Investigators also did not say whether the teens were from the same neighborhood. Detectives reviewed security video from nearby buildings and were following up on witness accounts taken at the scene and at police headquarters, according to officials. The department said more information would be released when it would not jeopardize the case.
The killing comes during a period of heightened concern over youth violence in communities across eastern North Carolina. In recent months, school resource officers and local agencies have stepped up outreach and curfew enforcement, and the city has publicized youth programs aimed at keeping teens engaged after school. Community advocates said the death of a middle school-aged child so close to the holiday underscores the gap between those efforts and the realities families face. Clergy members said they were discussing a prayer vigil and support services for relatives and classmates who may need counseling in the days ahead.
As of late Monday, police said the investigation remained active and that no further details on the suspects’ identities would be released due to their ages. A court timetable for the three teens was not immediately available. Officials said any decision on trying the defendants as adults would come after prosecutors review case files and consult with investigators. The department said updates would be provided as significant milestones occur, such as autopsy findings or court appearances, and asked residents to report any tips that could clarify what happened on Alpha Court.
Police said they would provide the next update as soon as investigators are able to release additional findings. Funeral arrangements for the victim were pending Monday night. The case remains under active investigation, with the next milestone expected when prosecutors determine charging posture and any potential transfer to adult court in the coming days.
Author note: Last updated December 23, 2025.